


Werepyre of the Coltswolds

by Padfootette



Series: A Fairy Tale Past [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Victorian, F/M, Vampires, Werewolf vampire hybrid, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-27
Updated: 2016-07-06
Packaged: 2018-03-09 08:16:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3242687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Padfootette/pseuds/Padfootette
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Teulu Seren Daniels had always thought that she was just another teenage girl in her small village Colts-worth on the outskirts of Wiltshire, England. She didn't know that the life that she knew was about to be turned on its head with her upcoming eighteenth birthday. Where she finds out that not only is she adopted, but she is also a rare vampire werewolf hybrid. Suddenly, her questions of why the older villagers never liked her, even going as far as being wary and hating her, Why boys also keened for attraction and affections, Why she could run so fast, why she had eternal beauty and why she was so attracted to the twenty-one year old bad boy werewolf Thomas Edmund Morris from the neighbouring village started to come back to haunt her that, and she again has to wonder if everything in her small village is really as it seems.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

Prologue

It was a dark stormy night as a willowy figure swamped in a midnight black cloak entered the small village of Colts Worth with a small bundle in her arms held tightly to her chest to keep out of the chilly winters wind. The figure now known as a woman (as a strong gust of wind had blown her hood off revealing blood red curly hair and almond shaped Amber eyes that were slightly clouded from the sickness that was plaguing her, her cheeks were flushed and gaunt looking revealing that she was nearing the last stages of her sickness.) stumbled slightly as she walked further into the village though she made sure to tighten her arms around the precious little bundle she was carrying.

The woman looked down at the small bundle in her arms holding back the tears that threatened to fall as she watched the fast pace of her daughter's breathing as she slept peacefully in her mothers arms. She didn't want to give up her daughter to strangers that she had no idea whether they would treat her daughter well after they were told what she was, but it is a risk that she had to take. She knew she wouldn't live to see the return of her husband, her mate and there was no one that she fully trusted to look after her daughter, all those who she did trust were with her husband in the battle trying to keep their daughter out of the enemy clans hands.

Walking further into the village she spotted what appeared to be a couple about ten years older than her walking in her direction. She was about to call out to them when luck would have it that the woman spotted her, she pointed to her husband before making her way over to her. "Hello," the woman said politely. "My name is Jean Daniels are you alright?" The woman now known as Jean asked. The woman shook her head pulling her daughter closer to her chest which turned their attention to her daughter. "Hello my name is Seren Blackthorn and no I am not alright. I'm dying and I fear I will not make the spring solstice let alone the summer one when my husband shall return from battle. There is no one that can take in my daughter till her father returns. She is only a year old.

I have been searching for somewhere that will be safe for my daughter to grow into a lovely young woman, but also someone who will not judge her for what she is." Seren said sadly tears running down her face. "What do you mean?" Jean asked concerned as she looked at the obviously ill woman holding her daughter as if it was the last she'd ever see of her and Jean was saddened to realise that from the look of her and what she said that she wouldn't see her daughter again and she made a silent vow to take in the baby and raise her as if she was her own.

"Before I tell you I want you to promise that no matter what I tell you that you will take in my daughter. I know that this a lot to ask to take in a strangers baby daughter but I don't have enough time left to look for another suitable home for her." Seren almost begged the couple in front of her. "We'll take her in don't worry." Jean said immediately without even looking at her husband to see what he thought on the matter. "Thank you. Thank you so much." Seren said gratefully. "Her name is Teulu Seren Blackthorn, though she can take your last name until she is eighteen at which time she will need to be told everything that I have told you." Seren informed them.

"I am a werewolf which you probably guessed from my eye colour and my husband is a vampire called Rhridian Blackthorn the leader of our clan. This makes my daughter somewhat unusual as there has never been a vampire and a werewolf mating together this makes my daughter a vampire werewolf hybrid a werepire if you will. Because she is the first hybrid ever to be born I am not sure how she will act and what she will be like after she's eighteen. But she will be faster than everyone, have unearthly beauty and she will attract men to her without her knowing. I have money that will last her until she's eighteen." Seren informed them as she handed Jean a large leather pouch full to the brim with money.

Seren knew that they would not believe what she had just said until they saw it for their own eyes but at least she could now rest in peace now that she knew that the people who were going to be raising her daughter knew what to expect and would tell her when she turned eighteen. "Thank you for telling us Seren why don't you come into our home and you can spend the rest of the time you have left with Teulu without worrying?" Jean asked though it sounded more like a statement as she knew Seren would agree to spend her remaining time with her daughter as would any mother.

Smiling gratefully at the couple in front of her Seren accepted the offer graciously before following the pair to their house all the while holding her baby close to her chest as she spoke softly to her little girl wishing with every part of her being that she could raise her own daughter, to see her grow up into the wonderful young woman she knew she would be and to settle down with her mate and have children of her own. But she knew there was no point in thinking of the what ifs she would make do with what time she had left making sure she never missed anything her daughter did and spending every moment with her.


	2. Chapter One, Delusions and Reality

Chapter One, Delusions and Reality:

I always thought that werewolves, vampires and other magical creatures just belonged in the fairy tales that mother and father used to read to my younger siblings and I when we were little, but I was wrong. I have always been fascinated by the magical creatures, especially vampires and werewolves which always seemed to worry mother and father with the amount of questions I asked them.

I was always picked on for being faster than all of the girls and boys put together, for liking the Full Moon and for being more aware than anyone else even the best hunters in our village it confused and saddened me that I was so different from others my own age, even when I hit my teens the isolation didn't stop in fact it only increased as I had euphoric beauty and curves to die for according to the other girls who avoided me at all costs unless it was to bully me. They were jealous that boys paid me more attention then them, not that I wanted it but no one seemed to listen or care what I said at times it was like I never even existed. And now I know why.

All of my questions have finally been answered, all of my hopeless (well it seemed it at the time) searching has paid off. Though I am not to sure what was better the truth or isolation, at the moment though I'm more opposed to the truth than isolation, in fact I'd rather prefer the isolation. At least for a little while longer. It turns out that I am adopted and if that wasn't bad enough it has also been found out that I'm a magical creature too. I know what you’re thinking. 'How can I be a magical creature? They're not real.' Or 'I'm delusional!' Well I'm not delusional, it is true.

My name is Teulu Seren Daniels I mean Blackthorn and I have just turned eighteen a week ago on April seventh where the life as I knew it was turned on its head with my coming of age on my eighteenth birthday. It was the day where I found out that all magical creatures, were not myths at all. They're real. On that day I found out my mother and father were not my real parents, that I was in fact adopted into the family when I was a toddler; when on one bad winter my real mother who I found out was dying had stumbled into the village where Jean and Mark Daniels who already had 'my younger sister' found her and took her into their home.

It was there that my real mother Seren Blackthorn placed me into Jean's arms telling them that she was dying and feared she would not make it to the summer solstice, where my father Rhridian Blackthorn would return from fighting with an opposing clan. Once my mother had left Jean and Mark have raised me as if I was their own daughter as mother had wished, though Mark had always been a little cold towards me. Since finding out about my mother I have searched the surrounding lands, well as much as I could, for any sign of my mother be it from other villages and marked and unmarked graves. My mother had told Jean and Mark that my father would come and collect me as he'd know where to find me, but I have started to think that my father is dead as he has never found me.

The creature that I am is a vampire werewolf hybrid the first of my kind, which sort of makes me a princess as I was told that my father was the King of his kind, but when my adopted parents told me I didn't believe it, and they said that when my mother told them they didn't believe it either or when my mother told them she was a werewolf and my father a vampire they thought it was just the crazy ramblings of a dying women. But yet thinking she was mad they still told me the signs were there as I was growing up, especially when I hit my teens, that was when they finally accepted the truth but they told me they still loved me as if I was their own daughter.

But now a week later I'm finally coming to terms with it, sort of. But I finally have all of the answers to my questions. Why I run faster than all the other girls and even some of the boys. Why I have eternal beauty and attract boys to me even though I don't do anything and even why I'm attracted to twenty-two year old Thomas Edmund Morris from the neighbouring village who everyone always said is a bad-boy, but he makes me feel free and alive, that when I'm with him I've never felt more safer than I have than when I'm with Tom. I know I'm sounding like a love sick teenager but that is just how I feel, and I realised why when I met up with him at midnight in a clearing in the middle of the forest that is between are villages like we do most nights especially on our birthdays.

I first met him when I was thirteen and wandered into that very clearing after exploring the woods which must have been the hundredth time and Tom was sitting in the middle of the forest whittling away looking very at peace within the steadily darkening woods it was like he'd been born to live in the woods and I had the strangest feeling that he'd been waiting for me but that was absurd. After a rather nervous and somewhat awkward introduction mainly on my part that we got talking and got to know each other and he's the only person I'm really close too.

When I told him what the Daniels had told me he didn't run away, or try to kill me or call me a freak of nature, he just hugged me and smiled at me as though his dreams had all come true and he told me something about him which really isn't that surprising and became my anchor, without him I know I would have succumbed to insanity.

~~~ Earlier that week (April Seventh 1983) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Teulu walked through the thick forest that lay between her village and the village that her crush Thomas Edmund Morris lived in as if separating two different worlds, one where she was isolated and hated for something she couldn't help and the other where she'd never felt more loved. It was her eighteenth birthday, and she was on her way to the clearing in the middle of the forest where she was meeting Tom. She was hardly looking where she was going through the forest which people would say was a stupid thing to do, but she knew this path better than any other as she had walked this path a thousand times as she had been coming to the clearing since she was thirteen.

But her vagueness this time was not to do with the amount of times she had walked through the woods or how excited she was to see Tom it was to do with the shock that she currently felt with what her parents had told her that she was adopted and that she was a mix of two magical creatures making her a rare vampire werewolf hybrid. She jumped as she felt arms wrap around her and looked around with panicked eyes before she calmed down as her deep red-golden eyes that they looked like molten larva met Tom's bright amber eyes dimmed with concern looking down at her as his muscled arms held her to his broad chest. "Lu?" Tom asked looking concerned at the girl he loved, as he put a stray blood-red curl of hair behind her ear. "Are you ok? I've been calling your name now for the last five minutes."

Teulu smiled up at him before turning in his arms so she faced him without pulling out of his embrace. "I'm fine I just have a lot to take in, that's all." Teulu said smiling reassuringly at him. Tom frowned concerned. "What about? You know you can talk to me about anything Lu. You know that, right?"

"Of course I do Tom." Teulu smiled up at Tom. "Just don't hate me afterwards alright. I don't think I could bare it." "Okay Lu I promise." Tom said tucking a stray piece of hair behind her left ear once again. Teulu looked away from him and looked into the tree lines gathering her thoughts and also her courage, before she looked into his eyes and started telling him her tale. Tom listened attentively as we sat on the blanket, Teulu held securely in his lap, he didn't interrupt me once, just let me tell him all that had had happened earlier that day.

Once Teulu had finished she looked up at him uncertainly only for Tom to hold me closer to his chest and place a kiss on her forehead, which seemed to be more loving then his usual kisses though it may just be my imagination and she knew that at least she had one person to stand beside her when everyone found out and no doubt they would, secrets never stayed secret in the small village called Colts worth. "I would never leave you for that Lu. I already knew as I'm a werewolf and I have something else to tell you." Tom said. Teulu just nodded for some reason she wasn't surprised that Tom is a werewolf 'I suppose that I always knew that he was maybe it had something to do with the vamp/werewolf side to me, just like Tom knew about me.' She thought.

"I will understand if you don't feel the same way Lu but I have to tell you or maybe it is better to show you." with that said Tom leaned down and kissed me on the lips. Teulu was surprised at first, but when she came back to herself she started kissing him back, she wrapped her arms around his neck deepening the kiss. When the need for air became apparent they pulled back albeit reluctantly. "I love you too Tom." Teulu said after she had got her breath back. Tom started kissing her again though this time more passionate then the last and Teulu was more than happy to oblige.

~~~~~~~~~ Present Time. ~~~~~~~

"Lu? Lu? TEULU!" Tom shouted, making Teulu start as she was roughly brought out of her thoughts. "Sorry I was thinking about what happened on my birthday." Teulu apologised kissing Tom chastely on the lips. "That's alright Lu just don't scare me like that again." Tom said firmly hugging Teulu to him. "Don't worry I won't." Teulu promised. They sat in a comfortable silence with Teulu leaning into Tom as they looked up at the stars above them. "How're things at home?" Tom asked concerned and held her tighter as she tensed and let out a sigh. "Babe?" Tom asked after five minutes when she didn't answer.

Teulu sighed and rested more comfortably against Tom. "Mark wants me to marry his boss's son when he knows full well that I love you always have. But will he listen? No. Jean has tried to talk to him by reminding him what my mother had told them, but he still won't listen to reason. All Mark seems to think about is getting himself more money lately it's got worse since I turned eighteen and came into my werepire inheritance." Teulu sighed. "I love you Tom I don't want to marry anyone else." Teulu looked up at Tom with golden-Hazel eyes filled with tears.

"Don't worry babe you won't have to marry that idiot Samuel James if I have anything to say about it. And I wanted to do this at a better time, but now seems as good as any." Tom said, as he gestured for Teulu to stand up which she did so looking at him confused. Tom stood up as well and took her small hands into his, and took out a small box which he opened to show a platinum ring with a topaz in the middle of it, Teulu gasped at seeing the beautiful ring and looked up at Tom questionably.

"I know it's still too early for us to marry but this is a promise ring which is the same ring that my father gave my mother and I want you to have it. I promise to love you and care for you always Teulu Seren Blackthorn. I love you." Tom said slipping the ring onto her ring finger and kissing her softly on the lips.


	3. Chapter Two, The Father Returns

Chapter Two: The Father Returns.

Mark's P.O.V.:

Where was that ungrateful little brat she was supposed to be here nearly eleven hours ago. It was nearing two in the morning. 'Oh what will my boss say in the morning when I go to work when he finds out she didn't come home to God knows what hours no doubt with that riff wrath Tom from the village on the other side of the woods.' Mark thought anxiously as he paced up and down the living room every now and then taking a gulp from the wine bottle he held in his hands. "That stupid bitch we're gonna be the laughing stock of the whole village for having a floozy of a daughter.

Oh only if I could tell them what she is then they won't have nothing to say to us. But it'll put the marriage contract with Samuel in jeopardy and I can't do that." Mark ranted slurring his words which had more to do with his drunken state then his anger. For a good half an hour he continued to pace and rant all about Teulu about how she was, about her parents, about her and Tom and about Teulu not liking Samuel the way that she should. His ranting was only broken when he slurped more of the wine spilling more of it down his front then into his mouth. His ranting stopped suddenly when he heard someone opening the door.

Normal P.O.V.:

Teulu sighed as she opened the door to the house that she had lived in for seventeen years, and was immediately accosted by an angry and very drunk Mark Daniels, her good mood that she'd been in for the last four weeks since Tom had proposed to her had all but been ripped away from her as soon as she entered the village the day after having stayed over at Tom's. Now she wished that she'd stayed over there permanently like they'd planned. "Where have you been its two o clock in the morning you stupid bitch? My boss and his son Samuel came around this evening for dinner and to talk to you about the wedding.

Do you have any idea how embarrassing it was to explain to them you were out with that Tom from the other village because you were convinced you loved him, but you were just confused because of all the lies he has been telling you? Douglas nearly called the whole thing off as he didn’t want his son to be embarrassed like this, but I just managed to convince him that it was because of this Tom you were acting this way. They’re out looking for him now to banish him.” Mark said smirking at her. "You can't do this! You have no right to do this! Tom has done nothing!" Teulu screamed at Mark but it just made him grin and sneer at her at the same time which Teulu had thought wasn't possible but evidently she was wrong.

"Well I suggest you do as your told if you don't want him to be driven out or killed because if you don't go through with this marriage not only will you lose us all the money we're gaining from it you can kiss your freedom as well as this Tom goodbye." Mark laughed as he turned to leave the little house for the tavern but stopped in the doorway. "Oh and by the way don't even think of going to Jean to beg her to help you because she listens to me not you, you stupid little freak. Now I'm going to the tavern to leave you to think about all that has been said and you better be here when I get back or else." Mark warned her, his eyes glinting dangerously before he turned and left the house with a vicious smirk on his face.

Teulu starred at the door for a few seconds before she collapsed to the floor in a heap as her body shook from her heart wrenching cries. After what seemed like hours Teulu was startled out of her crying by a deep melodic voice that she sort of recognised but she couldn't place where she had heard that voice. "It's alright sweetheart I'm here now princess I'm here." the man said as he held her to his chest rubbing soothing circles on her back to calm her which oddly enough was working. "W-who a-are y-you?" Teulu hiccupped wondering why she felt so safe and protected in this man's arms more than she had felt her whole life apart from when she was with Tom. The man sighed but pulled her closer to his chest resting his cheek on her head breathing in her sent.

"My name is Rhridian Blackthorn. Your father sweetheart, I've come to take you away with me if you'd like that?" the man, Rhridian asked. Teulu pulled back to look at the man in shock. This man was her father the one her mother had told Jean and Mark would come and get her, but it had been so long that Teulu had long since given up hope that her father would come and get her, but here he was kneeling in front of her holding her in his arms as if he'd always done so. Rhridian seeing the insecurity in her eyes gently pulled her back into his chest letting her take in his scent as he took in her's.

Rhridian sighed a deep drawn out sigh as he knew he needed to have the conversation with her about why he wasn't there for her, though it wasn't for a lack of trying he had searched for years not giving up once even when he had started to give up hope like the rest of the Coven he couldn't and he wouldn't give up on his little princess, but nevertheless he knew he needed to have the conversation with her otherwise it would just be hanging over them like a disease just waiting to take hold and he would not let that happen. "Sweetheart I'm so sorry I haven't been there for you, I wanted to I truly did princess but it took longer for me to defeat the other clan and our Coven had sustained great injuries and some loss it took a while for our Coven to be fully healed once we re-joined the rest of the Coven and I found out your mother had died from sickness but not before bringing you here.

I grieved for and gave her the proper burial before coming looking for you. I searched for ages trying to track you down, when I found you a few years ago. I watched you saw you grow, saw you flourish into the beautiful young woman I see before me and nothing you could do could make me any prouder than I am already. I didn't know much about my own daughter, so I watched learned about you, about you and Tom. I couldn't just reveal myself to you as you'd be scared and probably wouldn't believe me and for that I'm sorry. But I've come to take you home with me and I promise I'll never let anything happen to you as long as I live. I hope one day you can forgive me." Rhridian said as he kissed Teulu's forehead.

"I do forgive you dad. I understand I just wish that you had come earlier because now they're all hunting down Tom just because I won't marry Mark's boss's son." Teulu sighed. Rhridian not liking the look on his daughter's face pulled her closer to him. "I know sweetheart and I'm so sorry and I'll do all I can to make it up to you. Starting with getting you and Tom out of here, no daughter of mine is going to be forced to marry some breather especially as you already have a mate. Come we will need to find this Tom do you know where he will be?" Rhridian asked as he stood up holding out his hand to help her up from the floor. Teulu looked at her dad, 'Hmmm. That's gonna take some time to get used to.' Teulu thought as she saw the hopeful and expectant look her father was giving her.

Smiling slightly Teulu let her dad pull her up from the musty wooden flooring. Teulu thought for a minute of where Tom would be. "He might be in the forest clearing that we always meet up in. It's the forest that lies between this village and the one Tom lives in." Teulu explained smiling when her dad smiled at her and kissed her forehead affectionately. "Right come on then we have to leave this village before we run into that Mark otherwise I'm likely to rip him to pieces after draining him dry for all that he's done to you my sweet one." her father said leading her out of the house. Twenty minutes later Teulu and Rhridian had arrived in the clearing without any problems due to their enhanced speed they were able to keep to the shadows and move unseen by the village folk.

Now they were looking around the forest clearing looking for any sign of Tom. "Tom? Tom? Tom where are you?" Teulu called as she looked around the clearing. After a few minutes of silence there was a rustling sound coming from the bushes behind them Rhridian snarled and pulled Teulu behind him crouching down getting ready to attack whoever came out of those bushes if they showed any sign of wanting to harm his daughter. After a couple more minutes of tense waiting Teulu tried to get out from behind her father she could look after herself thank you very much.

Rhridian pulled her back behind him with a snarl though it wasn't as aggressive as before as Teulu could detect a hint of worry in his voice when he spoke to her in a whisper that was so quiet that nobody who didn't have enhanced hearing would be able to hear him. "Lu stay behind me I do not want to lose you as well as your mother. Now stay put." As soon as the words had left Rhridian's mouth someone stepped out from behind the bushes.


	4. Chapter Three, The Escape

Chapter Three, The Escape

Rhridian snarled and stepped closer to the figure in front of them so he could better protect and hide his daughter better, but fate seemed to not be on his side as his daughter stepped out from her safety spot behind them. "Teulu will you stay back!" he snarled but kept his eyes on the man in front of him as he was constantly looking from him to his daughter, but Teulu continued to ignore him as she moved further away from her father to get a better look at the man in front of them.

"Tom?" Teulu asked as she looked at the man in front of them, which turned out to be her mate, but it didn't look like him he was battered and bruised and he had a large cut on his cheek bone where evidently someone had punched him. "Tom what happened to you?" Teulu asked fearfully as she carefully ran her hands over his bruised face. Tom smiled and leaned into her touch as it seemed to cool his battered face. "Mark and his mates jumped me while I was hunting for some food for us when we ran away.

I was so concentrated on my hunt that I didn't even hear them, I killed a few of them and badly injured most of them but before I could do anything to Mark the others pulled him away from me and went to attack me again but I ran here, I knew that when you had the chance you would meet me here and I was right." Tom smiled and kissed Teulu on her forehead, Teulu closed her eyes at the touch resting her head against Tom's. They were interrupted from their blissful moment where nothing seemed to exist except the two of them, by Rhridian clearing his throat rather loudly.

"Who are you and what are you doing near my daughter?" Rhridian asked he didn't care if he seemed rude he just wanted to get his daughter and get her to safety before anything could happen to her. Tom looked nervously back at Teulu he never thought he'd have to face an angry over-protective father but he took a deep breath and did what he heard Teulu say to the others her age in the village 'suck it up and man up.' So that's what he did as he stepped as confidently as he could muster towards the angered vampire in front of him. "My name is Thomas Edmund Morris," Tom introduced himself he thought for a few minutes about what to say next, but he decided to tell the truth about himself as he could tell that if Teulu's dad found out something about him and Tom didn't tell him he was likely not going to trust him. "I'm a werewolf and I'm also Lu's mate." Tom explained.

Rhridian looked at Tom critically for a few minutes with Tom trying not to squirm under the intense stare when Rhridian broke the tense silence that had befallen them. "How old are you? And when we get back to my coven I'll find out what your intentions are to my daughter but right now my first priority is to get my daughter to safety and if you truly are her mate you'd be coming with us." Rhridian said leaving no room for arguments. "Thank you Sir I just want to get my Lu to safety and away from that barbaric man she's been living with. And I'm twenty-two." Tom answered. Teulu shook her head at them with a smile on her face she was glad that Tom accepted her dad and that her dad accepted Tom even if he didn't say she knew he did by the approval that was shining bright in his deep red eyes so unlike her own, golden-Hazel eyes.

She could see the acceptance and also a wary look in Tom's bright golden eyes which she thought was understandable as her father was rather frightening and if she didn't feel so safe and protected with her dad she would have been downright terrified of him, which Teulu suspected was what her dad wanted and needed as he was the Coven leader he needed to appear threatening to warn off any other Vampires or Werewolves that may try to take over his Coven.

"Alright," Rhridian said finally causing Tom to let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. "You can come and I accept you as my daughter's mate. But I will be watching you Thomas to make sure you don't do anything to hurt my little Princess and if I find out you have you'll be very, very sorry. Do we understand each other?" Rhridian asked with a raised eyebrow as he loomed imploringly at him.

Tom nodded his head. "Yes Sir." "Good I'm glad. Now let's get out of here I don't want my Princess anywhere near this place and the people a minute longer." with that Rhridian took off running Teulu and Tom keeping pace alongside him with Teulu ending up in between the two over-protective men.


	5. Chapter Four, A Long Journey Home

Chapter 4: A Long Journey Home

Tom sighed as he looked at his tired mate who refused to give in and rest for the night, as it must be late evening or early morning and they had been travelling for hours but what felt like days. He always knew Teulu had a tendency to be stubborn and now he knew where she got it from, her father. Though he himself had told Teulu that they could stop and rest but yet again she refused. They had been travelling through the forest till they came to a hilly valley where the hills were so huge and dark that they look like mountains against the inky black sky scattered with silver stars and half of a moon.

Though Tom didn't know exactly how long they had been travelling he knew that it had been a good few hours since they'd arrived in the hilly valley. Sighing as he saw his beloved Teulu yawning for what Tom thought was the hundredth time he scooped her up into his arms bridal style ignoring her complaints and the hits she made against his chest as she struggled to get out of his arms. Striding past her father Tom couldn't help but feel pleased and a bit smug as he saw the look of approval on Rhridian's face that was directed at him instead of his daughter. "Tom put me down I can walk you know and I do not need to be carried." Teulu snapped as she struggled to get down.

Tom knew she didn't mean it she was just overtired and he had shocked her when he picked her up so her tone didn't really affect him. "No Lu you’re tired and I will carry you until we find somewhere safe to rest for the night. I will not have you hurting yourself by you not being able to concentrate due to you being tired so you can stop struggling as I'm not letting you go until we find somewhere safe to sleep." Tom said authoritatively. Teulu stopped struggling as she realised that Tom was right and that she had been struggling to stay upright let alone keeping her eyes open but she hadn't wanted to give in. Tom smiled as Teulu snuggled into his chest apologising for snapping at him and drifted off to sleep in his arms.

"Your good for her you know." a voice said startling Tom. Spinning around he realised it was just Rhridian standing off to the side watching as he interacted with his daughter. "I may not have known her for long but I know what she's like. She's just like her mother; feisty, stubborn but also loving and caring with a heart of gold. I know I should have announced myself to her years ago when I first arrived in the village, but I knew she wouldn't believe me as she knew nothing of what she is or what I and her mother are or even you are. I suppose I was a little scared that my own daughter wouldn't want to leave as she seemed happy there but I see now that was just a front, much like her old man in that way." Rhridian grinned as he watched his slumbering daughter.

"But I fear I may have left it too long to take her and incidentally you from that village. I fear she may not trust me in fear I'll leave again. I never wanted to stay away this long but I had to make it safe for her as others were either trying to take her away from me and Seren, her mother or trying to kill her just because she's a werepire." Rhridian sighed. They set off again though this time in silence as Tom took in everything that had been said to him. After a while they came to a small cave but it was large enough to fit the three of them in comfortably and it would shelter them from the elements as a thunderstorm appeared on the horizon.

Once the cave had been fully searched to make sure it was safe as caves were seldom occupied they settled down for the night or what was left of it. Tom making sure Teulu was warm enough with his coat covering her. He saw out of the corner of his eye that her father was leaning against the far wall in what appeared to be a veiled attempt at giving them some privacy. "She will forgive you." Tom spoke pulling the coat tighter around Teulu which had slipped off a bit when he pulled her to him when she started shivering. "Maybe not straight away but she will I know she will.

She's too good for her own good sometimes, but if you just explain to her what you told me she may come round more quickly or she may not but then you know that you tried and the rest would be up to Lu. And I know how desperately she wanted her father with her even if she didn't always say it." Tom watched as Rhridian contemplated what he had said to him for a bit before he saw through the gloomy blackness that was penetrated with a small amount of moonlight; Rhridian nodding his head as if he agreed with what Tom had said to him.

"Thank you Tom I shall speak with her in the morning. I want to work this out between us I miss my little girl. I lost her mother and I refuse to lose Teulu as well. When we get back to my coven I give you my permission to fully court and marry her there is no one else I would rather see my daughter with." Rhridian waved away Tom's thanks turning to look out of the caves entrance up at the sky. "You best get some sleep Tom we'll have an early start tomorrow if we want to reach the coven in the forest of Dean in a few days. I'll keep watch as I have no need to sleep." Rhridian ordered before exiting the cave to stand in the entrance on watch.

Tom watched the red eyed man leave the cave smiling at how protective the man was over Lu he was glad that she had an overprotective father and wondered if his own father had been like that when he was younger. He couldn't remember much of his father as he'd died when he was very young, died trying to protect him and his mother who was no longer around either having died a few years ago but he swore to himself that he would always be there for Teulu and any family they may have in the future. With those thoughts Tom drifted off into a fitful sleep.


	6. Chapter Five, A New Start

Chapter Five, A new start

It had been a couple more weeks before the Forest of Dean even came within their sights. They had originally planned to reach the Forest of Dean by the end of the week, but they had to make a detour when they saw the villagers of Teulu's old village in the distance. However, the group seemed unnaturally large, no doubt Mark and the Mayor of the village had told other villagers that Teulu had been kidnapped. Which turned what they had hoped would only be one detour in actual fact into what was several detours to shake them of their tail.

Now they were walking across grassy planes, taking the long way around to the forest and therefore back to their coven. "It's not much further now," Rhridian called over his shoulder to his daughter and future son-in-law who were a couple of paces behind him talking quietly amongst themselves. Usually Rhridian would have been able to hear what was being said but the wind was coming from the north which carried their voices away from him. "It's in the centre of that forest over there." Rhridian called pointing to the tall oak and ash trees standing large and tall against the silvery-grey sky tinged with red and orange as the sun had not long risen that was off in the distance.

From their distance they could see that the early morning dew still clung to the leaves of the trees making them seem bright and full of life as the morning light shone down upon them, much like the grass beneath their feat that crunched as they stepped over it, the noise echoing loudly in the deafening silence of the grassland, as the sound seemed to bounce and echo off of the surrounding hills. "Dad?" Teulu called to him. "If we ran at our natural speed we should reach the Coven in no time and escape those tailing us as they will not be able to keep up." She suggested. Rhridian paused as he contemplated what his brilliant daughter had suggested.

He really didn't know why he hadn't thought of it himself earlier. He was glad that his daughter had inherited her brains from her mother and not from him. And he told her as such. Teulu blushed and ducked her head refusing to look at either of the men who she cared deeply about. "It's true Lu. Your mother would have been very proud of the woman you've become, as am I." Rhridian said seriously as he lifted her chin gently so she was looking him in the eye. Teulu looked her father in the eye searching for a lie of any kind, but when she found none she had to concede that he was telling the truth and she realised in that moment as she hugged her father that she could forgive him and put all of the past behind her.

"Come now, my princess there is no need for tears. I know you must be nervous about meeting our Coven but trust me they will love you, that I promise you. And if they don't they'll have me, Tom and your Uncles to answer to as well as your mother." Rhridian said kissing her forehead gently before he turned and started leading the way again. But not before he called over his shoulder, "And I'll never leave you again my Princess." Rhridian swore. "Unless I really have to. But I'll make sure to always try to come back to you." Teulu smiled happily for the first time in years as Tom clasped her small dainty hand in his much larger, calloused one.

Teulu smiled a beaming smile and pecked him on the cheek, a blush spreading across them as Tom returned her kiss with one to her hand. Tom laughed shaking his head at his mate as they hurried to catch up with her father, Teulu couldn't wait to start a new life with her father, coven and of course Tom, her boyfriend and mate and hopefully sometime in the future adding their own family to the Coven. Her fears of the past were behind her as they entered the forest and she would much rather they stayed that way. But if only things where that easy.


	7. Chapter Six, the Attack

Chapter Six, the Attack

"Mark are you sure they came this way?" A broad shouldered, black haired man asked leaning against a tree to catch his breath. "Of course I'm sure Matt." Mark snapped. "We were following the tracks they left behind, they pretty much want us to follow them as they didn't cover them. Pretty stupid if you ask me as they knew I'd come after her. We keep going!"  
"But we don't even know where they're going." Another man complained. Having enough of his men disobeying him Mark growled angrily and punched the man in the face. "Next one who goes against my judgement will get worse than Charlie here!" said Mark aggravated. "We keep going. If you lot are too cowardly than turn back I'll bring that freak back and make her wish she'd never been born myself." When he saw no one else was arguing with him or turning back he smirked and carried on walking leading the group of around twenty men deeper into the more dangerous part of the woods unknowingly to them.

As the men were finally out of earshot Tom yanked his arm out of Rhridian's grip. "Why'd you stop me from ripping their heads off? Did you not hear what they were saying about Teulu?" Tom growled angrily the wild coming to the forefront of his mind. "Use your brain boy!" Rhridian snapped. "If I'd let you jump out and attack them they'd know that the tracks they were following were fake and that my daughter, your mate was asleep just behind us. You could have gotten yourself killed as well as me and Teulu! Our priority is Teulu and getting all of us back in one piece I promised her mother I'd keep her safe and I damn well intend to do so!"

"Well you haven't done a good job so far have you?" Tom goaded letting his anger get the best of him. "Where were you for eighteen years of her life when she needed you? And instead of being her father she had to grow up with that filth. You call yourself her father and yet you've done nothing to show that except lead us to your Coven."  
"Do not question me boy! You know nothing! I regret I wasn't there for my daughter all those years ago but I'm here now. I was grieving for my mate and had to make sure the Coven was safe and protected for her to return." said Rhridian aggressively he did not like this young Alpha questioning his authority. "She's your daughter you should have been there for her! Put her needs before your own like a good parent would!" Tom shouted having had enough of this man who thinks he could swan back into Teulu's life like it was alright to come and go as he pleased but not on his watch it wasn't.

Growling the two Alphas crouched down ready to attack each other only for Teulu to become between them her dainty hands in each of their face. "Stop! Stop it both of you, you're acting like children! This is not helping anything we need to get to the Coven where it's safe and if you two persist on arguing I'll go alone!" Teulu ordered crossing her arms over her chest not looking the least bit impressed. Though while she did agree with Tom on many points about her father's absence this was neither the time nor the place. They could have this talk when they were safe and tempers had cooled down, though it wouldn't be made public for all to see it would be between her and her father as it was meant to be.

"You're right Lu I'm sorry it's none of my business but I don't like how you've been treated and I just get over protective over you I'm sorry." Tom apologised kissing Teulu's temple even though she was mad at him and her father for acting like children she couldn't help but relax into his arms against her better judgement. "I'm still mad at you." Teulu grumbled but without any heat. "I know and I'm sorry." Tom apologised again though he was happy that Teulu didn't fight him when he wrapped his arms around her. "Come on let's go they've gone." said Teulu quietly peering out of the cave. "Dad. Dad?" Teulu asked confused when all he did was stare at her. 

Rhridian stared at his daughter seeing so much of her mother in her especially the way she stood when she was angry. He missed Seren so much but he realised he still had a piece of her in their daughter, yes she was her own person but there was so much of her mother in her as well as himself; her temper was a mix of both of them, her loyalty was also but her kind and compassionate nature, always seeing good in others was undoubtedly from her mother. 

He couldn't understand why he did what he did all those years ago he could have had his daughter grow up with him seeing her grow, they could have grieved Seren together instead he was selfish and had left her at the mercy of men never knowing who she truly was always feeling like an outsider. Seren must be rolling in her grave and what he'd done; he swore to himself he was never going to be that selfish again never abandon his daughter, Tom was right he was a poor excuse for a father he only hoped she forgave him, she may have said she did but he could see on her eyes that she was still hurt. 

He vaguely heard Teulu calling him but it sounded like she was calling him from the end of a tunnel it was so distort he could barely hear her. Blinking his eyes a couple of times he came back to his surroundings to see Teulu and Tom looking at him concerned. "Dad are you okay?" Teulu asked concerned seeing her father's eyes were no longer glassy but she was still worried about him. "I'm fine I was just thinking. I'm so sorry for all I've done to you my daughter I will make it up to you I promise." Rhridian promised kissing Teulu lovingly on the forehead. "We still have a couple of yourself trek ahead of us, if we leave now we should be there before sundown." said Rhridian leading them out of the cave following him through the trees with the sun at their backs going in the completely opposite direction to what they led Mark and his group of men in. 

****

"They should be here by now!" Frederick McNair snarled pacing up at down stopping for a few seconds to look at the clearing entrance every so often to see if they had arrived only to start paving again when he saw no one coming. Frederick McNair was a vampire and second on command to the Blackthorn coven he was left in charge while Rhridian had done to collect the lost princess the only hybrid to ever be born in centuries. It signified a dawning of a New Time for them where they no longer had to hide and where vampires and werewolves no longer were enemies but allies. The only werewolves in the coven were Seren's family who eagerly awaited the arrival of Teulu who they hadn't seen since she was a babe. "Frederick calm yourself!" Mona his wife ordered wrapping her arms around his neck smirking as she felt her husband relax against her she was the only one that could get her to relax. 

"Somethings wrong I know it its past sundown they should have been back yesterday." Frederick argued with his wife brushing her midnight black hair out of her face. "You don't know that and you being on edge is not helping the rest of the clan they sense your unease so they become unease. If you do not calm yourself they will end up fighting one another or you them. Rhridian left you in charge until he gets back so lead them, give them a figure whose calm and collected and will protect them if the need arose. If not Rhridian and Teulu will not have much of a coven to return to." said Mona sternly as she ran her fingers over his scalp to calm him down.

Frederick sighed resting his head against his wife's. "Your right of course, you always are. I need to go and calm some tempers I'll be back soon." He kissed his wife softly but passionately before turning on his heel and left to sort out the discord amongst the coven before Rhridian returned he would be most displeased to see his coven in such a state upon his return.

****

"We're nearly there hurry!" Rhridian urged Tom holding his unconscious daughter his arms. An hour ago she was hit in the thigh by an arrow and by the smell of it it was poisoned. Some of Mark's men and separated from their group and followed them drawn to them by the argument in the cave they didn't know until it was too late. Until they shot Teulu with a silver tipped arrow. Hearing her scream in pain and collapse to the floor set the blood boiling in Tom and Rhridian and they immediately killed the three men in the mist bloody and gruesome way before returning to Teulu who was deathly pale ignoring that they were covered in blood Rhridian pulled out the arrow and threw it away as far as he could as he was the only one unaffected by the silver.

Pouring some water over the wound to cleanse it as much as they could in the forest with the dimming light. Tom quickly wrapped her leg up with a bandage he pulled from Teulu's back before rushing off in the direction of the coven using their vampire and werewolf speeds to get them their quicker, they didn't care if they were making too much of a noise as they know keg trees out of the way in their hurry if the humans heard and followed they'd deal with it if and when time came, but right now all that mattered was Teulu and getting her to the healer. "Help!" Rhridian shouted as he entered the clearing where his coven resided gathering their attention. "Help! Teulu needs help. Fetch Mona and Isolder now!" Rhridian ordered tears gathering in his eyes refusing to let them fall right now he needed to be strong as Tom was barely holding it together seeing his mate in such a state.

As Teulu was taken to the Healers Hit the two remained frozen where they stood covered in not only their attackers blood but also Teulu's. They prayed she'd pull through as she was a hybrid not a full werewolf but she was the first hybrid and they didn't know how the poison would react with her system but at the moment it didn't look good. All they could do was wait.


End file.
